1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electronic card.
2. Background Information
Integrated circuits are typically assembled into packages that are mounted to a printed circuit board. By way of example memory devices are commonly assembled into packages that are soldered to a single printed circuit board. One edge of the printed circuit board may have a plurality of contact pads that can be plugged into a connector that is mounted to a motherboard of a computer. The packages and circuit board provide a memory card that can be easily installed and detached from the computer.
The integrated circuits generate heat which must be removed from the packages to insure that the junction temperatures of the circuits do not exceed specified values. Memory cards are typically plugged into computer system which contain a fan that generates a flow of air. The air flows across the memory cards and removes heat from the packages by forced convection.
Inducing a flow of air across the packages may be insufficient to remove heat from integrated circuits that generate a relatively large amount of power. Heat slugs, heat spreaders, heat sinks and heat pipes have all been incorporated into various electronic assemblies to increase the heat transfer rate from the package to the air. These thermal components add cost to the overall assembly. It is desirable to minimize the cost of mass producing a memory card. It would therefore be desirable to provide a thermal element(s) that can be assembled into an electronic card in a cost effective manner.
One embodiment of the present invention is an electronic card that includes an integrated circuit which is coupled to a substrate. The substrate is located between two thermally conductive covers. The assembly may further include a fastener that attaches the covers.